The Ghosts and the Darkness
by SilverBlackWolf13
Summary: This is a story about one of my favourite characters on AMC David 'Dr. Death' Hayward. I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think.
1. Chapter 1 The Ghosts and the Darkness

Disclaimer: I don't own this character or any character from All My Children for that matter.

Authors Note: When I heard that Vincent Irizarry (Dr. David Hayward) was leaving the show I thought I would write a short story about him because I have always liked the character; I love villains. Let me know what you think and if you guys like it I may write some more POV stories to go along with this one.  
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David was standing on the edge of the cliff, his foot prints had marred the newly fallen snow. It was bone chillingly cold that morning but the sun was shinning brightly, making the ice covered trees look as if they were made of crystal. He hardly noticed, he was in that dark place again.

It was same dark place he had been in when he had asked Erica to crush his hand, the same darkness had over taken him when Leora died; he had even felt consumed by it when Bianca had found out about Miranda and had looked at him with hate and anger in her eyes.

The only place he had ever found some relief was at the bottom of a glass of Scotch, which is why he stood there with a glass of the amber coloured liquor in his hand. He took a sip and let it sit on his tongue before sallowing. As he looked down at the fast moving river below he thought of Leo, the river being his final resting place, supposably. It would not be the first time someone in this town had come back from the dead, he thought to himself. He took another sip and was just about to head back to his cabin when he heard yelling followed by the unmistakable sound of a gun shot 


	2. Chapter 2 The Angel and the light

Authors Note: Sorry this chapter took me so long but I wasn't sure where to go with it. This is the third version of this chapter but you guys deserve only my best.

These are not the same Miranda and Adam Chandler the Third from my other story Much Ado About Something, I just like to use the characters and in this story they are a bit older too. As always I love comments either good and/or bad. On a side note I have decided to change my writing style just a little based on some very good tips I got from FluffNutter on another story let me know what you think.

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When David heard the gunshot part of him just didn't care but part of him wanted to see which one of those self-righteous hypocrites had finally gotten what they deserved. As he finished his Scotch and trudged through the snow he really hoped it was Tad Martin laying face down in the snow. He came to an opening in the shadowy forest and stepped into a snow covered clearing.

In the middle of the clearing he saw a woman dressed in a green turtleneck and green slacks with her back to him. Her short dark had snow in it, he can't see her face but was almost certain he knows who it is. He just stood there not sure if he should let her know that he is there in case she tries to shoot him, then she slowly turned around and sat down on the snow, the silver revolver still in her hand.

He slowly walked up to her so as not to startle her and said "Miranda?"

She looked up at him with her dark eyes that were just like Bianca's and said as if nothing was out of the ordinary "Oooh Hi Dave."

"What are you doing?" He said pointing to the gun.

"Just blowing off som steam." He could see a soda can sitting on a tree stump and he could see a second can was laying on the ground with a bullet hole in it.

He helped her to her feet, she swayed back and forth and he could smell a very familiar smell on her breath "Are you drunk?"

She must have found that very funny because she started to laugh so hard that she almost fell over and he caught her. She said "No, I only had one glasss of Scotch."

"Why?" He said as he grabbed the gun away from her, she was waving her hands around as she talked and he was afraid she would shoot him.

"Because she finially did it, she finially got him ta marrry her." She said as she fell back down onto the snow.

As David was helping her up again he mumbled under his breath "It figures, Angel would have something to do with this." Thinking of Little A's girlfriend whom he liked to refer to as the "pink powder puff" made him unknowingly set his jaw.

David wants to know more but he noticed that Miranda was not even wearing a coat and that the snow was coming down harder; blowing all around them. Her pale white cheeks were very pink, he saw her shiver so he took off his black leather jacket and wrapped it around her.

"Come on, I'll take you home." He said as she leaned against him and he helped her walk out of the clearing.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Still don't own AMC.  
Author's Note: I know that no one would actually use the "Grind me into a fine powder" line, my muse and I had a big argument over. He won. LOL.  
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Title: Tempted by the fruit...

David sat in his favourite chair looking out the window, slowly sipping a glass of Scotch and watching the snow fall. The snow was still falling as fast as it had that afternoon when he had found Miranda, the heavy wet flakes had made even the short hike back to his cabin very difficult.

He heard her stir and went to check on her, she was laying on his couch, on her stomach, he had thrown his old blanket on top of her after she passed out. He gently touched her shoulder. Her eyes opened, she slowly sat up and looked around confused. She brought her hand up to her forehead "David? Why I'm I on your couch and does my head hurt so much?"

He told the whole story of how he had found her drunk with the gun and how he couldn't take her home because the roads were blocked by the snow.

She said rubbing her eyes and holding her head "Oh now I remember. Going out into the middle of nowhere with a loaded gun seemed like a good idea."

"You said my Grandson married Angel, please tell me that was just drunken rambling."

"Nope. I even tried to talk him out of it."

"Wonderful." He said to himself. He than added hopefully "Are you still in love with him?"

She looked at him like he had a third eye in the middle of his forehead "Definitely not. Even if he begged, I would never take his sorry butt back. Not only did he cheat on me with a person I can't stand but he got her pregnant. Then he blamed me because I can't give him Chandler heir. I only tried to talk him out of the marriage because as much as I hate him I hate her even more."

He noticed she tensed up and her eyes went cold when she talked about him "Are you going to hurt him now?"

She exhaled deeply "I want to but I won't. I may only be twenty-two but I'm not stupid, I know that if I ever hurt him you will grind me into a fine powder."

He couldn't help but smile, he knew there was a reason he liked her "Good. You should just sit back and wait for Angle to get what she has coming."

"Do you know something I don't?"

"Maybe." was all he would say.

He could see the wheels turning in her head "And exactly what will you be doing while I'm sitting around waiting for things to happen?"

A sly smile crossed his lips "What I'm good at."

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Author's Note: Bet when you read the title you thought this chapter was going to be something different, didn't you, you cheeky monkeys. LOL. 


	4. Chapter 4 Roses are Pink

Uploaded:12/15/06

Disclaimer: Don't own AMC

Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took so long, I've been working on my other stories and I just write this one when I need a change of pace. Please review, if you guys have any story line ideas I would love to hear them even if they are not for this story. 

Title: Chapter 4 (Roses are Pink Like a New Valentine.)

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David walked into the Banquet hall and felt like he had stepped into a giant tub of strawberry ice cream. Everything from the carpet to the tables was pink. He had to admit even Angel had outdone herself for her second wedding. Apparently the one Miranda had gone to at the bar had not been legal because Little A had still been married to her at the time.

He went over to a pink vase full of pink roses and took one. He just stared at it, all the delicate pink flowers had reminded him of his daughter Babe. "I couldn't protect her from Junior but I will protect my grandson from that lying, scheming powder puff. Even if he hates me for it." He thought as he dropped the rose onto the floor and crushed it under his shoe.

He saw Miranda sitting in the front of the hall. She was dressed all in black, she even had on a long black vial. David walked up beside her and sat down in a pink folding chair "I still can't believe Angel sent you an invitation."

"Yes, I think she was hoping I would have enough class not to come and she could still get points with his father for trying. Oh how wrong she was, I'm going to sit through every minute of this travesty if kills me."

"I seriously doubt you will have to do that. We should head upstairs, I want to personally deliver my wedding gift." He said producing a large white envelope from inside his jacket.

"What is it, something truly vile no doubt?" She said her eyes lighting up like a child who just found a pile of candy in her bed.

"Good guess. I don't want to spoil the surprise but it is going to cause some major fireworks for the happy couple. Now shell we, I think you will want to be there."

"If you are involved I definitely want to be there, I know how much you just love Angel." She said as he helped her up and walked arm and arm to the elevator.

When they got upstairs David knocked on the door, Little A answered. His Grandson looked so much like his father it was almost scary, he had his blond hair and icy blue eyes and what some called the Chandler aura, it was a vibe that told people that Chandler's could crush people like paper cups just for fun.

When he saw David his eye narrowed "What in the...? Go away."

He tried to shut the door in his face but even though he was much older David was quicker and slipped into the room "What, I can't see my Grandson on his happy day?"

"Somehow I doubt this is a happy day for you. Now since you're family I'm going to ask you to leave before I call security, this is a private celebration and you were not invited."

"Um... actually I invited him and the future other Mrs. Chandler invited me." Miranda said stepping into the room. Ignoring the icy look Little A was giving them both.

"Great. My Grandfather and my ex-wife have teamed up. Tell what you want and then leave."

"I don't want anything, I just want to give you a very valuable wedding gift." He handed him the envelope, Little A took it as if it were a deadly snake.

"Ok I'll open it if you will leave." he said and pulled something out of it that made him gasp as soon as he saw it.

From inside the doorway could be heard a high pitched voice "What is going on here?"

As soon as he saw her standing there David was filled with great joy, he could not believe his luck, he went over to her and took her hand in his before she could react "Oh Angel I'm so glad you are here. I just gave my Grandson something that is very valuable, the truth." 


	5. Chapter 5 The Angel and the Darkness

Disclaimer: Don't own AMC.  
Author's Note: Thanks for the few reviews I have gotten so far, I hope my lack of reviews is not because my writing is bad. Please let me know what you think good and/or bad.

Title: The Angel and the Darkness.

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Angel's golden curls were piled high on her head, she was wearing a pink and white wedding gown and was holding a large to bouquet of pink roses to cover her bulging stomach that made her look like she was smuggling a beach ball under it. When David grabbed her hand Angel looked like a deer in the heads lights.

When he said with a gleam in his eye "Oh Angel I'm so glad you are here. I just gave my Grandson something that is very valuable, the truth." her gaze turned from fear to contempt.

She pulled her hand away from his as if just touching him made her skin crawl. "Little A, get rid of him."

Little A was still looking at the photo he had pulled out of the envelope, he then went up to her and throw it in her face "Can you explain this." He said his gaze icy cold.

It was a blown up photo of Angel kissing a man, he had his hand up her shirt and even though the quality was not very good it was clear that Angel was very pregnant and the man was definitely not Little A.

She snatched the photo from him and just looked at it as if that would make it disappear "I...Um...I."

"So it is real." Little A said looking at her as if she was dirt.

"Of course it is real, I may fake DNA tests but I this is too good to fake." David felt the need to add. He turned to Miranda who was standing there silent "Come on let's leave the two love birds alone. Oh by the way Little A you should ask her when her due is."

When they stepped out into the hall Miranda turned to him in awe "How in the world... I knew you were good I just had no idea."

All he would say was "It is from years of practice and it is amazing the things cell phones can do today."

After a few minutes of muffled shouting the door to Little A's room flew open and Angle ran out with tears in her eyes. David went after her, Miranda called after him "Where are you going?"

David called back "I have to make sure she understands, this is not over."

David found her in the Banquet hall at the alter, her back to him. He walked behind her "So I'm assuming the wedding is off."

She turned to him tears steaming down her face making her makeup run. Her face was stretched up in pain "You bastard how could do this to Meeee." Her voice was even higher then usual.

He chuckled at the at the absurdity of that statement."Ok Powder Puff let me tell you something since you obviously still do not get it. I did not do this to you, you did it to you, I just made sure you got what you had coming. How long did you think you could keep lying, did you honestly think he would not be able to count to nine." He could see on her face that it was starting to sink in.

He took a step closer and lowered his voice to almost a whisper "I'm not a bastard if I was I would have passed out pictures to the whole town right after the part where it says 'if any knows a reason why these two should not be married' but I love my Grandson too much to put him through that kind of public humiliation. A word of advice you and your boyfriend had better leave town right now, once his father finds out, you will be as good as dead. Junior may be a spoiled little brat but he does know how to make people pay who hurt his son."

David turned and walked away, satisfied that I had done his good deed for the year. David did not hear the cocking of the gun, he did not feel the bullet rip through his back, he did not even hear Miranda scream all he heard was the unmistakable sound of a gun shot and then he felt darkness close in around him. 


	6. Chapter 6 Doctor, My Eyes

Disclaimer: Don't own AMC.

Author's Note: Sorry if I messed up on any of David's History, if there are any big mistakes please let me know.

Title: Doctor, My Eyes

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David had never believed in all of that life flashing before your eyes crap as he called it but just before he lost conscious that is exactly what happened. After the darkness closed in around him he felt weightless, free. Then the memories came it was very strange, he was outside of his own body seeing things and having feelings he had completely forgotten about. He saw the Christmas when he was six and his father gave him a shiny red bike and had spent the whole day teaching him to ride.

He then saw the Christmas when he was thirteen and he was alone in the house, his father had just died and his mother was gone somewhere, he felt utter despair and anger. David saw his younger self go into his room and smash everything he owned, David could feel how good it felt to destroy things.

David saw many other events of his life, they came faster and faster, the memories and feeling felt like waves breaking over him until he thought he would drowned. Then as quickly as they had came they stopped and he saw the light, it was a white almost painfully bright light and it surrounded him.

Everything was out of focus, he could hear voices but could not understand them. It was as if he was in a fog, slowly the fog began to lift. The first thing he remembered seeing were two big brown eyes full of sadness staring at him. He looked into those sad eyes and said "Leora?"

"No it's me Miranda." She said with tears in her eyes.

The fog had lifted a little more, he was laying in a hospital bed, he could smell antiseptic and hear machines beeping, his chest was bandaged and his head felt fuzzy from pain killers.

"What happened." He said feeling the pain in his chest.

"You were shot by Angel, I always knew she was crazy but I had no idea she was murderous, who brings a gun to their own wedding?" Miranda said

"You were there when she shot me?"

"Yes. I called the ambulance and kept pressure on the wound, they tell me I saved your life."

"So is Angel in some cold jail cell with a girlfriend named Big Betsy."

"I hate to tell you this but no one knows were she is, but I hope that even she is not stupid enough to come back here."

"We can only hope."

"Well I should go I just wanted to tell you the news, you need rest."

As she was leaving David asked only half joking "When people found out I was shot did they buy party hats and start planning the parade."

"Good bye David." she said chuckling as she left.

David spent the next two hours staring up at the ceiling counting the holes in the tiles, his pain killers slowly wore off and he almost enjoyed the pain. Late in the afternoon a man entered his room, he was a thin tall man in a light blue polyester suit and bright orange polyester tie.

"Are you Dr. David Hayward?" he was sweating and kept wringing his hands.

"Who are you and what do you want?" David couldn't help but think that this guy wore his anxiety like his cheap suit.

"I'm um... Cole Henderson and I'm y-your detective... This is m-my first case... w-well actually m-my father h-had the case but a-after he retired I..."

David put his good arm up "Kid. Get to the point so I can enjoy my mind numbing pain in peace."

Cole handed David a folder "W-we found him."

David opened the folder and stared at a black and white photo, the face was different but the eyes were the same, eyes he knew anywhere even though it had been over twenty-five years.

"Leo." was all David could say. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Don't own AMC. Sorry if Leo is out of character I did not start watching the show until after he left. I have seen a couple episodes of Los Vegas, don't own that either.

Title: Love and Hate

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"Leo." was all David could say.

A familiar voice said "Hello Brother."

David looked up from the picture and saw the real thing standing in the doorway. Leo walked over to David and pulled up a chair beside his bed.

"Seeing you like this I'm sorry I sent you that letter."

David head was still fuzzy from the pain killers and the shock of seeing his brother alive, but slowly it sank in "Leo, you were the one who sent me that letter telling me all about Angel's big plan?"

"Yes. I met her and her boyfriend in a bar and they wanted me to help them take the Chandlers for anything, not knowing Adam the Third is my half-nephew. They even told me how they got him drunk and made it look like he had slept with her. I didn't want to just show up at your door and say 'Guess what I'm not really dead and your grandson is being conned' afraid you would hate me, I guess."

David just stared at Leo afraid that any minute he would wake up and Leo would still be dead, finally he said "Why didn't you let anyone know you were alive."

"Because after the fall Vanessa became Nessa again and I knew that if I wanted her to stay that way we had to get as far away from Pine Valley as possible and I knew that if you knew she was alive you would try to kill her but, since she is really dead now it doesn't matter."

"Why didn't you tell Greenlee." David didn't even bother trying to tell Leo he would never kill his own mother knowing that after what she did, he would have.

Leo avoided David's eyes "I thought it would be best..."

David set his jaw so tight it made his teeth hurt, if Leo had been anybody else gun shot wound or no David knew he would have decked him "Stop. That is crap, do you realize that when you died it almost killed all of us."

Leo now looked ready to hit David "I did what I had to do to keep everyone safe especially Greenlee, can you honestly tell me you have never done anything that hurt the people you love just because it was best for them."

David just sat there not knowing what to say.

"That is what I thought, I guess we are not very different, brother. I should go." Leo got up and turned to leave.

"Wait, that is it? I thought you were for died for over twenty-five years and now you are just going to disappear again?" Now he was afraid he would never see his brother again.

Leo just laughed "I'm not going to disappear again, maybe I'll go say Hi to Erica and I'll come see you tomorrow, I swear."

After Leo left David laid back and tried in vain to figure out how he felt he didn't get to try very long. Miranda came in "You ok you look weird, did you just remember that while you were unconscious you saw a white light and your dead relatives."

He was about to answer with one of his snappy comebacks when Little A came into the room and the smile disappeared from Miranda face "I'm going to leave before I'm smothered by his massive ego." She said more to Little A then David.

"Wait, can we please talk outside." Little A said with his best sad puppy dog look.

She turned to face him "Oh I see. You didn't come here to check on your grandfather, the man your almost second wife shot, you came here to beg me to take you back. Let me guess, you were going to say how sorry you were, what a big mistake you made and maybe even manage to squeeze out a few fake tears."

"I..." His eyes were as big as pie plates.

She kept talking as if he hadn't said anything "You know a few weeks ago I might have fallen for your fluffy sappy sentimental crap, but now I see what a arrogant jerk you are. I'm glad that I'm done with you and will never fall for your act again."

Little A just stood there and then not even acknowledging David, left. Miranda let out a breath and looked to David like a deflated balloon. She sat down in the chair next to David's bed.

"Are you ok?" He said seeing her eyes that were tearing up.

"I hate it when people ask me that what I'm obviously not." She said biting her lower lip so she wouldn't cry.

"You still love him." He said knowing all too well the look in her eyes.

"Yes." She said in almost a whisper as if not really wanting to admit it. "As I was ripping him apart part of me wanted to take him back but part of me remembered what it felt like when he left me. Do you know what it feels like to have your heart ripped from your chest and all that is left is a big gappeing hole." She put her head down on his bed next to him and silently cried.

"I do." he said thinking of Dixie, Leo and Leora as he gently rubbed her back and few tears of his own fell. 


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